TEDx Hobart

Our brilliant lineup of Speakers & Performers Our community. Our voices

Paul Pritchard

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Mountaineer, Author & Educator

Paul is a professional mountaineer and disability awareness educator. He has tackled adventures the world over, from Patagonia to the Himalayas.

Paul has an incredible story. A story ultimately of acceptance.

Whilst climbing the world's most slender needle of rock - The Totem Pole - a boulder dislodged from 25m and crushed Paul's skull.

The result was a massive brain injury. His partner, Celia Bull, had to haul him 30 metres to a ledge.

Paul permanently lost use of his right side and could not talk for a year. It took doctors many months to get his epileptic seizures under control.

Astonishingly Paul returned to The Totem Pole 18 years after his brain injury. For this he was awarded the Australian Geographic Spirit of Adventure medal and was nominated for Australian of the Year. Since the accident Paul has led teams of 'Disabled Adventurers' on cycles to Mount Everest and on expedition up Kilimanjaro.

In 2022 Paul led a team of people with disabilities on a traverse of the 232km Larapinta Trail in the Red Centre. Paul is a shining example of resilience, and the courage we can find when we work with what we've got.

Other speakers in our amazing lineup:

  • Philippa Chong

    Evaluator, Data Scientist & Consultant
  • Eagranie Yuh

    Writer, Marketer, Podcaster
  • Second Echo Ensemble

    Dance Performance Group
  • Paul Matthews

    Teacher & Tech Entrepreneur
  • Angela Hucker

    Founder & CEO
  • Ryk Goddard

    Radio Personality
  • Andrew Davies

    Founder and CEO
  • Viet Tran

    Emergency Physician, Researcher & Advocate
  • Tilley

    Performer
  • Steven Burgess

    Director, Consultant & Author
  • Lalita Lowe

    Author, Fashion Designer & Educator
  • Josh Wood

    Coach and Educator

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